Search
Search results
ClareR (5603 KP) rated Ancillary Justice in Books
Apr 2, 2019
This is everything about Science Fiction that I love: something totally original, something that I could never imagine on my own, and I’m just grateful that someone else has put this something in to book form! Saying that, I did listen to this on Audible (and the narrator, Adjoah Andoh, is fast becoming one of my favourite narrators), which is a much slower process for me to get through a book. But I’ve learnt that it’s well worth the commitment. Oh, and I can pretend I’m NOT cooking dinner or vacuuming.
Justice of Torrin was a ship whose consciousness was shared between many Auxiliaries - human, and potentially other, life forms. However, Breq is the only one of those life forms left, and Justice of Torrin has been destroyed. And they’re out for revenge.
There are so many twists and turns to this, and I loved it. I’ll be looking out for the second book, that’s for sure!
Justice of Torrin was a ship whose consciousness was shared between many Auxiliaries - human, and potentially other, life forms. However, Breq is the only one of those life forms left, and Justice of Torrin has been destroyed. And they’re out for revenge.
There are so many twists and turns to this, and I loved it. I’ll be looking out for the second book, that’s for sure!
ClareR (5603 KP) rated The Sealwoman's Gift in Books
Apr 29, 2019
This is set in 17th century Iceland, and based on the true story of the kidnapping and enslavement of 250 Icelanders in Algiers.
We follow a Pastors family, Olafur and his wife Asta, as they and their family are kidnapped by corsairs and pirates, and sold off separately to their owners. Olafur is sent back to Denmark to seek a ransom, but he fails. So we follow the life of Asta, how she lives and adapts in the house of Cilleby, and how she copes with the loss of her children and husband.
The Icelandic Sagas are Asta’s Means of escape and comfort, and in telling them she gets Cilleby onside and makes her own life more comfortable. She refuses to give up her Lutheran belief, and believes that she will be reunited with her family - at least in death - because of this.
This was such a touching novel, and the narrator (I listened on Audible) really did the story justice.
We follow a Pastors family, Olafur and his wife Asta, as they and their family are kidnapped by corsairs and pirates, and sold off separately to their owners. Olafur is sent back to Denmark to seek a ransom, but he fails. So we follow the life of Asta, how she lives and adapts in the house of Cilleby, and how she copes with the loss of her children and husband.
The Icelandic Sagas are Asta’s Means of escape and comfort, and in telling them she gets Cilleby onside and makes her own life more comfortable. She refuses to give up her Lutheran belief, and believes that she will be reunited with her family - at least in death - because of this.
This was such a touching novel, and the narrator (I listened on Audible) really did the story justice.
David McK (3251 KP) rated The Silent Guides in Books
May 26, 2019
So, the (not so) Silent Guides
I'm calling it that because I read (listened to?) the audiobook version.
Recently, I decided to give audible (or, more accurately, it's free month) a try, and this came up as one of the 'recommended first listens'. I'd heard, anecdotally, of the Chimp Paradox, even though I'd never read it so thought I would give this a listen, especially since I'd been having a hard time of late and had been feeling rather a bit of stress/was unable to 'switch off' from work.
I don't really know what I was expecting, but what wasn't clear - at least, not to me - was that most of this (say, roughly 80% worth) is actually more about raising kids and how to be a role-model to them. I don't have any.
(I do have nieces and nephews, though)
With that said, there were still some aspects that I could probably put to use in my personal life ...
I'm calling it that because I read (listened to?) the audiobook version.
Recently, I decided to give audible (or, more accurately, it's free month) a try, and this came up as one of the 'recommended first listens'. I'd heard, anecdotally, of the Chimp Paradox, even though I'd never read it so thought I would give this a listen, especially since I'd been having a hard time of late and had been feeling rather a bit of stress/was unable to 'switch off' from work.
I don't really know what I was expecting, but what wasn't clear - at least, not to me - was that most of this (say, roughly 80% worth) is actually more about raising kids and how to be a role-model to them. I don't have any.
(I do have nieces and nephews, though)
With that said, there were still some aspects that I could probably put to use in my personal life ...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
May 19, 2022
Karla Dee (6 KP) rated The Counselors in Books
Jun 7, 2022
I am really into YA books where teens are dying. Her previous thriller They Will Never Catch Us had be reading and not stopping because I had to know who the killer was and this read was just the same for me. The cover on this one caught my attention very Baywatch aka #pamcore then I saw it is a Jessica Goodman read and went straight to audible to make my pre-order and it did not disappoint.
The setting of the book is a bougie elite summer camp with a focus on three teens girls. I wouldn't so much call their situation Glamping since a dark secret is looming over a counselor who is waiting to share with her friends. Goldie might be ruining summer with her dark secret and not only that she is risking friendships. She isn't the only one that has been lying and keeping secrets. This becomes apparent when Ava has seen something and there is a death involved. yikes!
The setting of the book is a bougie elite summer camp with a focus on three teens girls. I wouldn't so much call their situation Glamping since a dark secret is looming over a counselor who is waiting to share with her friends. Goldie might be ruining summer with her dark secret and not only that she is risking friendships. She isn't the only one that has been lying and keeping secrets. This becomes apparent when Ava has seen something and there is a death involved. yikes!
David McK (3251 KP) rated The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes #9) in Books
May 12, 2024
"Come at once if convenient. If not convenient, come at once all the same - SH"
The final entry in Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes canon, which - again - I experienced through a mixture of reading and listening to the Stephen Fry narrated Audible version, and which is also really once again a collection of short stories rather than a single over-arching narrative.
What is unique in this collection, though, is that some of the stories are presented as Holmes himself delivering the narrative, rather than Watson acting as the biographer.
I also noticed - perhaps reflecting the nature of the time in which they were written, and Doyle's own interests - that there are more of the, shall we say, supernatural elements in the case chosen ("The adventure of the Sussex Vampire" springs to mind, for example) although - in all cases - the supernatural elements are later debunked by Holmes himself.
As a whole? I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the company of Holmes and Watson.
The final entry in Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes canon, which - again - I experienced through a mixture of reading and listening to the Stephen Fry narrated Audible version, and which is also really once again a collection of short stories rather than a single over-arching narrative.
What is unique in this collection, though, is that some of the stories are presented as Holmes himself delivering the narrative, rather than Watson acting as the biographer.
I also noticed - perhaps reflecting the nature of the time in which they were written, and Doyle's own interests - that there are more of the, shall we say, supernatural elements in the case chosen ("The adventure of the Sussex Vampire" springs to mind, for example) although - in all cases - the supernatural elements are later debunked by Holmes himself.
As a whole? I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the company of Holmes and Watson.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Digging Up Mother: A Love Story in Books
Oct 14, 2017 (Updated Oct 15, 2017)
Crude, hilarious, and sombre at times
Listened to on Audible.
For all lovers of gonzo, Doug Stanhope reaches the top of the list of crude humour, insane experiences muddled in with bittersweet memories.
This autobiography is hilarious, and the only way to read it, is to listen to it, given there are so many 'director's comments', in which Doug and his friends discuss the incident at hand. Also the fact that he is drunk at times and will loudly burp just adds to the book so much more than skimming through the pages. While the majority is about him, it premises around his mother's life and death which have ultimately shaped him. She's no ordinary mother that's a fact.
From being a pyromaniac as a child, a teen male prostitute to telephone salesman, Stanhope has had an interesting life mixed in with drugs, alcohol, women and stand up comedy. And while you do think he's a bit of a so-and-so, it's still very funny. A great listen.
For all lovers of gonzo, Doug Stanhope reaches the top of the list of crude humour, insane experiences muddled in with bittersweet memories.
This autobiography is hilarious, and the only way to read it, is to listen to it, given there are so many 'director's comments', in which Doug and his friends discuss the incident at hand. Also the fact that he is drunk at times and will loudly burp just adds to the book so much more than skimming through the pages. While the majority is about him, it premises around his mother's life and death which have ultimately shaped him. She's no ordinary mother that's a fact.
From being a pyromaniac as a child, a teen male prostitute to telephone salesman, Stanhope has had an interesting life mixed in with drugs, alcohol, women and stand up comedy. And while you do think he's a bit of a so-and-so, it's still very funny. A great listen.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Audible – audio books, original series & podcasts in Apps
Nov 2, 2017 (Updated Nov 2, 2017)
Yay to content, nay to app
I'm torn between giving this a good rating for its content and a bad rating for the app itself, which is the worst on my phone.
Audible itself, is an absolutely brilliant service for those who listen to a lot of audiobooks. For one, the collection is mammoth, much more than Kobo and Scribd. And while one credit doesn't seem like much per month for a book, the daily deals are pretty great and reasonably priced. As a result, I'm able to read two books simultaneously, as well as multitask while listening.
The app on the other hand, is the bane of my existence. While you want to look at your stats as it collects the number of hours you listen to per day, if you pause it for a second, it resets to zero. This is for Android in particular. The bugs are a serious problem, which is why I've complained to Amazon several times about this to no avail. So content yes, app itself no.
Audible itself, is an absolutely brilliant service for those who listen to a lot of audiobooks. For one, the collection is mammoth, much more than Kobo and Scribd. And while one credit doesn't seem like much per month for a book, the daily deals are pretty great and reasonably priced. As a result, I'm able to read two books simultaneously, as well as multitask while listening.
The app on the other hand, is the bane of my existence. While you want to look at your stats as it collects the number of hours you listen to per day, if you pause it for a second, it resets to zero. This is for Android in particular. The bugs are a serious problem, which is why I've complained to Amazon several times about this to no avail. So content yes, app itself no.
Connie (244 KP) rated Audible – audio books, original series & podcasts in Apps
Jun 4, 2018
Wide variety of books available (2 more)
Pairs well with Kindle app
Uses you Amazon account
Outstanding!
I LOVE Audible. I use it all the time to add narraration to books I have purchased for my Kindle/ Kindle app (on my phone) for Amazon, and not just for the really popular books either. Books whose authors I have never heard of before reading often have narraration available, and they cost considerably less than, say, the Harry Potter books.
Personally, I enjoyed their membership options. They have a gold membership (3 credits a month) and a regular membership (1 credit a month); I paid about $15 a month for the basic membership. Some books will cost much more than that to purchase, so it's a steal--the Harry Potter books would have cost me between $30-$40 each if I purchased them alone. Instead I waited and got each one for that $15 membership credit. And supposedly the credits never go bad.
All in all, this is an app I intend to use and that I recommend to everyone!
Personally, I enjoyed their membership options. They have a gold membership (3 credits a month) and a regular membership (1 credit a month); I paid about $15 a month for the basic membership. Some books will cost much more than that to purchase, so it's a steal--the Harry Potter books would have cost me between $30-$40 each if I purchased them alone. Instead I waited and got each one for that $15 membership credit. And supposedly the credits never go bad.
All in all, this is an app I intend to use and that I recommend to everyone!
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Dawn of the Dreadfuls in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls
by Jane Austen and Steve Hockensmith
Genre: Re-mixed classic
Rating: 5
Dawn of the Dreadfuls is hilarious! Hockensmith has captured Austen’s original characters and brought them back (from the dead) in a gruesomely wonderful prequel to Pride and Prejudice. This Zombiefied quirky classic will have you snickering and giggling like Lydia and Kitty. (By the way, I’m officially adding Zombiefied to my dictionary. It’s an awesome word.)
The writing was so much like Austen’s that I began to wonder if it really wasn’t by her. It was eloquent and witty and almost audible in that you could hear the accents of the speakers and the narrator.
Content: an occasional dirty word (I think d--- was used like, twice in the whole book?), very few sexual references. But remember that we’re talking about dead brain-eating zombies here, people. It’s not for the faint of heart (or stomach) and it’s not for kids.
Recommendation: 12+ If you love the paranormal, horror, or anything Jane Austen, this one is for you.
Dawn of the Dreadfuls will be published on March 24th 2010.
by Jane Austen and Steve Hockensmith
Genre: Re-mixed classic
Rating: 5
Dawn of the Dreadfuls is hilarious! Hockensmith has captured Austen’s original characters and brought them back (from the dead) in a gruesomely wonderful prequel to Pride and Prejudice. This Zombiefied quirky classic will have you snickering and giggling like Lydia and Kitty. (By the way, I’m officially adding Zombiefied to my dictionary. It’s an awesome word.)
The writing was so much like Austen’s that I began to wonder if it really wasn’t by her. It was eloquent and witty and almost audible in that you could hear the accents of the speakers and the narrator.
Content: an occasional dirty word (I think d--- was used like, twice in the whole book?), very few sexual references. But remember that we’re talking about dead brain-eating zombies here, people. It’s not for the faint of heart (or stomach) and it’s not for kids.
Recommendation: 12+ If you love the paranormal, horror, or anything Jane Austen, this one is for you.
Dawn of the Dreadfuls will be published on March 24th 2010.